Poll: Catholics agree with Pope Francis that church is ‘obsessed’ with moral issues

(RNS) The survey shows that two in three adult Catholics said they agreed with Pope Francis' observation that the church has become too focused on issues such as homosexuality, abortion and contraception.

David Gibson

David Gibson is a national reporter for RNS and an award-winning religion journalist, author and filmmaker. He has written several books on Catholic topics. His latest book is on biblical artifacts: "Finding Jesus: Faith. Fact. Forgery," which was also the basis of a popular CNN series.

46 Comments

This sampling of a very small number of Catholics found that 42 percent think abortion should be illegal in all or most cases. Opposition to abortion is highest among those who attend church regularly and, most notably, among younger respondents. This should come as no surprise to anyone who has been to the March for Life, which is probably the nation’s largest annual youth fest. While these young people would like to see Roe v. Wade overturned, they are more focused on making abortion unthinkable.

Doc Anthony

With 60 percent of American Catholics already jettisoning their Official Catechism and supporting gay marriage, it’s no surprise that they agree with the new Pope. They, like the American gay activists, know that Francis has given the green light and will not “interfere” (his term).

A majority of American Catholics also voted for Obama’s re-election in 2012, knowing full well that Obama had openly promised to promote legalized gay marriage.

This is a time of disaster for American Christianity. Spiritual disaster now, and national disaster…not far away.

mike

Ronnie

Mike…What exactly is hopeful about Amercian Catholics supporting same-sex disordered counterfeit unions? Or hopeful in that Catholics are ignorant of the Church’s teaching and are in danger of losing their souls?

Ronnie

Richard….This country has supported and looked the other way while over ’55’ million innocent young lives have been destroyed …I don’t think that can be called a country ‘getting better’….
And now approving of gender identy disorders..first gay, lesbian, next transgender, bi-sexual…what’s next?…We’re losing our soul and some people are completely clueless especially in the Church.
It reminds me of this pamphlet I read once…’Sing A Little Louder’ when the trains carrying the Jewsih victims to the death camps, the Churches would sing a little louder to drown out the sound of the trains..That’s what is happening to our country and our Church…Getting better…I don’t think so…

hanntonn

The Pope didn’t say not to interfere. He reminded us that it is more important to take care of the poor than to protect the moral doctrine. Even if we have the right morals, we can be excessively self-centered. If we don’t show love and just protest against others, we have nothing appealing for them. Our vocation as Christians is to attract others to Christ, not condemn them to hell. We can still work against homosexuality and abortion, but we must first make people know they have a great value in the eyes of God and that they’re appreciated. Even sinners can go to heaven if they have a good will. We should not make sure they develop a bad will by stimulating their hatred.

sagar

Earold Gunter

Could it be that “We the people” are getting tired of the very same thing that was the spark for this great nation, which was religious persecution of a people for not accepting the religious beliefs of others?

Before someone tries to school me, let me expound. I know that the puritans had a stricter interpretation of the Bible than the church of England did, and that is why they left, but it was religious persecution none the less.

Religions in general, more especially “super power” religious institutions like the Catholic Church, and more recently the Mormons have been forcing their beliefs down the throats of not only Americans, but other peoples around the world for many years.

Perhaps, finally, Americans are growing tired of it, and want to get back to the roots of freedom this great nation was founded on. Freedom to believe what they want to believe, which includes not believing in any religion, or even in a God at all.

We could start a political party to help drive this nation back to its grass roots. It could be called the “We party”.

Sorry, couldn’t help myself.

Consider living life, and loving people, without needing to believe in any reward for doing so, or punishment for not.
Good day!

Linus100

Catholics should vote for another Pope. I find really disgraceful for a Pope to talk in this way. A Pope that find an ‘obsession’ to talk about gay marriage, abortion, contraception. The first thing, he said to the people when he was proclamed Pope was ‘ NOW YOU PRAY FOR ME ! ‘ with a selfish demanding voice. Normally, you would expect the new Pope to pray for the people attending or watching him, this was the his first gesture as a Pope. The message was clear to almost everyone.
‘I am here now to take what he has been assigned to me’. Now he finds the moral issues which are the core part of the Catholic religion for centuries, ‘an obession’ ? This ex-priest from Portugal is clearly not suitable for the role as Pope.

Linus100

Catholics should vote for another Pope. I find really disgraceful for a Pope to talk in this way. A Pope that find an ‘obsession’ to talk about gay marriage, abortion, contraception. The first thing, he said to the people when he was proclamed Pope was ‘ NOW YOU PRAY FOR ME ! ‘ with a selfish demanding voice. Normally, you would expect the new Pope to pray for the people attending or watching him, this was the his first gesture as a Pope. The message was clear to almost everyone.
‘I am here now to take what has been assigned to me’. Now he finds the moral issues which are the core part of the Catholic religion for centuries, ‘an obession’ ? This ex-priest from Portugal is clearly not suitable for the role as Pope.

Love it..

OMG, are you serious??? He makes the greatest gesture seen by a Pope beginning his pontificate: expressing genuine humilty, asking for prayer, as a sign of acknowledging his own human limitations… so WONDERFUL to see!

Zu

D.A. Howard

As a lifelong Catholic and Catholic apologist of over 16 years, I ignore this pope. He could have been a fair pope, but after his interviews, his papacy is now a wash. He has totally embarrassed the Church. I no longer defend him.

Zu

THE SINS MENTIONED HERE ARE VERY SERIOUS. IF ONES COMMITS THEM AND THEN DIES AND FACES GOD FOR JUDGEMENT….AND PRESENTS THE ARGUMENT..WELL, TOO MUCH WAS MADE OF THEM. HUH??? WHAT WILL GOD SAY? TOO MUCH? WATERED DOWN. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. INDEED, ONLY GOD KNOWS. BUT I THINK THEY SHOULD BE MADE MUCH OF..ENOUGH SO OTHERS DON’T COMMIT THEM. SIMPLE I SEE IT. YES COMPASSION…OF COURSE.. FORGIVENESS. BUT LET OTHERS KNOW,,,THESE ARE..SINS..TO BE AVOIDED. JESUS DIED A TERRIBLE DEATH BECAUSE THESE SINS..AND OTHERS..NAILED HIM TO A CROSS… SO HE COULD PAY THE DEBT WE OWED HIS FATHER….TO FREE US FROM THE ENEMY OF OUR SALVATION…TO PAVE THE WAY FOR OUR OWN ENTRANCE INTO HEAVEN TO BE WITH HIS ETERNAL LOVING FATHER. SO IF BY HARPING A BIT MUCH ON THE CERTAIN TRANSGRESSIONS HERE NAMED FOR THE MOST PART IN THESE COMMENTS….MAYBE SOME SOULS WILL WANT TO AVOID THEM….TO NOT OFFEND GOD….AND NOT SPEND AN ETERNITY WHERE THEY SURE DON’T WHAT TO SPEND AN ETERNITY.

[…] Compare Jimmy and Kathy with David Gibson of the Religion News Service. Also a Commonweal blogger, to say Gibson hates your orthodox guts…is entirely accurate. As he demonstrated on his Facebook page today, … gloating about the discomfiture of people who actually believe in what marriage really means, that abortion is evil, who struggle to follow Humanae Vitae: “Don’t worry about your right flank, Pope Francis — American Catholics have your b… […]

[…] “The survey, released Friday (Oct. 4), by Quinnipiac University, shows that two in three (68 percent) adult Catholics questioned said they agreed with the pontiff’s observation that the church has become too focused on issues such as homosexuality, abortion and contraception.” […]

[…] Religion News Service reports that the pope received high marks as 89% of US Catholics reported either favorable or very favorable views on Pope Francis. Those viewing him negatively were in the low single digits. […]

[…] American Catholics do not share Mr. Skojec’s objections. A poll released last month by Quinnipiac University found that two in three agreed with Francis that the church was too “obsessed” with a few […]

[…] American Catholics do not share Mr. Skojec’s objections. A poll released last month by Quinnipiac University found that two in three agreed with Francis that the church was too “obsessed” with a few […]

[…] adult Catholics in the United States agree with the pope’s statement that the Catholic Church is too focused on issues such as homosexuality, abortion and contraception. Six in ten Catholics surveyed approve […]

[…] raised security concerns as some of the reforms he is pushing challenge entrenched powers. Some conservative parts of the church have also questioned whether he is downplaying traditional areas of sexual […]

[…] raised security concerns as some of the reforms he is pushing challenge entrenched powers. Some conservative parts of the church have also questioned whether he is downplaying traditional areas of sexual […]

[…] In a recent survey released by Quinnipiac University on October 4 last year, 68 percent of adult Catholics polled said they agreed with the pontiff’s recent statements that the Church has focused too much on issues of homosexuality, abortion, and contraception. http://www.religionnews.com/2013/10/04/poll-catholics-agree-church-focused-issues-support-gay-marria… […]

[…] released by Quinnipiac University on October 4 last year, 68 percent of adult Catholics polled said they agreed with the pontiff’s recent statements that the Church has focused too much on issues of […]

[…] security concerns as some of the reforms he is pushing challenge entrenched powers. Some conservative parts of the church have also questioned whether he is downplaying traditional areas of sexual […]

[…] American Catholics do not share Mr. Skojec’s objections. A poll released last month by Quinnipiac University found that two in three agreed with Francis that the church was too “obsessed” with a few […]